Tea, Sympathy and a Sofa
by Pen Name FTW
Summary: James contemplates fatherhood and maturity, while Remus visits. COMPLETE.


**Disclaimer:** The world of Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling. The title of this piece, is taken from Douglas Adams' dedication in _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_. Part of the "Snakes and Ladders challenge", and "The If You Dare Challenge".

**Prompt:** Grown-Up (#248)

**Tea, Sympathy and a Sofa**

James Potter sat in the armchair, Harry comfortably tucked into his arm as he sat staring at Remus with a frown. He hated this incarceration. He deplored sitting on the sidelines of a war, when every fiber of his being wanted to be out fighting. Wanted to be at Remus and Sirius' side. Hell, even be able to do as much as Wormtail.

However, one wiggle and a small little sigh from the sleeping babe in his arms, and he knew that it was no longer about him and what he wanted. He was a grown-up, and before everything a father now.

Perhaps that was the reason that in that particular moment, it was so painful to look at Remus. Why, unlike in his school years, it wasn't so easy to pretend that his friends hadn't just undergone an extremely painful transformation... twice in the expanse of twenty-four hours.

Not that it was exactly easy when they were teens. He hadn't been heartless. But he understood why Remus preferred not to be fussed over, preferred to pretend that nothing at all had occurred.

"So where's Sirius?" James asked as Remus sat, sunken into the sofa cushions, an arm draped over his still, light sensitive eyes.

"Order mission," Remus replied with a voice gruff from disuse, just as Lily returned to the room with tea service. James looked over at his wife, mouthing a question to her which she merely nodded in response to. James smiled thankfully, glad that Lily was such a brilliant witch, and that she'd been so great with Potions.

"Here Remus," Lily said gently, holding out the teacup on a saucer. "I prepared it just the way you like it."

"Thank you, Lil," Remus smiled tiredly, taking the proffered refreshment. He took a sip as Lily smiled at him kindly before moving to perch on an arm of the armchair James was occupying. James watched as Remus shut his eyes at the taste, and slowly finished his tea; he saw the moment that the aches in Remus' body seemed to wash away and his body seemed to melt once more into the cushions.

Amber eyes snapped open and looked suspiciously at the married couple, but the werewolf said nothing.

"So how are things going with Aurora?" Lily asked, her cheeks flushing lightly as she tried not to allow Remus to think too much or get worked up about them slipping him a potion to ease the pain he was no doubt feeling from the full moon.

James was grateful, as he didn't feel like getting into another argument with Remus, especially with Harry present and sleeping. But Remus simply frustrated him so, especially when he was too stubborn as to accept help from his friends, even if he desperately needed it.

Remus finished his tea and set it aside before answering. A sigh of resignation escaped his lips he leaned his head back and shut his eyes. "I haven't... actually spoken to her in over a month."

James narrowed his eyes as Lily's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

"She chucked you?" Lily asked with indignation before rising to her feet and started to pace angrily. "I knew she wasn't good enough for you. But what do you expect from a Slytherin, especially a pureblood."

James didn't look at Lily as she worked herself up, hissing below her breath. Instead, his gaze remained locked on Remus, who had swallowed a lump in his throat and was continuing to stare up at the ceiling, his lips in a tight line.

"She didn't chuck me," Remus stated when Lily had run out of steam, his voice so quiet that James wouldn't have heard it if he had not already been listening for the confession intently.

James shook his head as Lily muttered out the question why, looking at Remus with her eyes full of sorrow. James knew the why, and he was once more frustrated that his friend had sabotaged one of the few good things in his life, because he didn't think anyone should have to put up with his condition.

"Lily, would you mind putting Harry in his crib?" James asked, turning to look at Lily slowly. He saw that she wanted to object, but he merely cast a glance at Remus.

Lily didn't seem to like it much, but instead of arguing merely did as asked. James breathed a sigh of relief when his wife was gone. As much as he loved her, he had to admit, that she had an incredibly stubborn streak that didn't always mix very well with her fiery temper. Turning his hazel eyes away from his wife's appealing back, he instead looked over at Remus who was on the brink of passing out from pure exhaustion.

Sighing, James got up as well. As much as he wanted to chew his friend out, his sympathy would simply not allow it. At least not for the time being.

"Come on Remus, let's get you comfortable," James stated, getting up and helping his extremely tired friend into laying position on the couch, before summoning a blanket to tuck around the framed of the thinner man.

Remus' eyes didn't open again as he settled in. However, before James could retreat, taking the tea service with him to the kitchen, he felt Remus' hand latch onto his wrist.

Looking down, he watched as one of Remus' eyes half-opened to look up at him.

"She was offered a position at Hogwarts to teach Astronomy," Remus whispered, his voice hoarse either from disuse or emotion. James furrowed his brow in concern as he looked down at his friend. "I couldn't keep her from accepting it..."

"I'm sure she didn't think you were holding her back, Moony," James said gently, but Remus shook his head.

"I hurt her... every time I had to disappear... cause of the order... or moon," Remus stated, his voice choking on the pain.

"You should have told her the truth," James stated, but Remus' eyes fluttered shut.

"... stop loving me... couldn't risk it," was the only thing he could understand from the muttering that escaped Remus' lips as he finally lost consciousness. James felt his heart clench slightly as he noted a tear, sitting on the corner of Moony's eye, just waiting to dive of the edge of the bridge of his nose.

James sighed as he placed a comforting hand on Moony's shoulder, wondering if he was the only one of his friends that had grown since leaving Hogwarts.

Sirius would always be reckless, he felt.

And Moony would continue to push away anyone who came too close to his heart.

But James... he was a husband now. More importantly, he was a father. The time had come to put away childish things.

**~END~**

**Review, please!**


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